From July 6th to August 27th the Lightbox Studio is going to become a temporary laboratory for the collection and experimentation of water. During this period Lane Shordee will be plotting out regular trips to different locations that are part of Calgary’s watershed. The locations will be both common and uncommon places in which we consider part of a typical watershed. These spots might range from a puddle of water in an obscure location, to the Bow River, a massively influential water source that runs through the city. The water collection will be a catalyst to investigate where the strangeness of water comes from, and how perceptions and encounters with water change between observers. Each water sample will be archived, and information will be collected about the sample taken and entered into a database. The database of samples will help build a picture of water in Calgary, in turn will help Lane to explore different ways to store water, display it, and work with it in new and interesting ways. Alongside this process he will be responding to these observations by creating miniature fountains that reflect both the magical places, as well as the slightly overlooked places in which water exists, and how it influences our ecology.

Artist Biography:

Lane Shordee (b.1979, lives and works in Calgary) graduated with a BFA in Drawing from the Alberta College of Art and Design. Since then he has created a diverse array of individual and collaborative work spanning many disciplines, such as installation, public art, theatre and public engagement. Shordee’s notable works include THE GREENHOUSE ( Wreck City: An Epilogue for 809) and WATER SPIRAL ( a collaborative public sculpture with Michelena Bamford). Lane is currently working collaboratively with Caitlind Brown and Wayne Garrett to create a public sculpture for cSPACE Projects located at the historic King Edward School.

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